Shattered
by Anony-Mousy
Summary: An idyllic life can be torn apart in a matter of moments, putting it back together can take much longer and may never happen. Rated T but may change to something a little more adult.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Just a short story to keep you occupied while I re-write the latest chapter of STDP for the third time. :-(

**Disclaimer**: The characters in this story don't belong to me they remain the property of Paxson Entertainment and Pebblehut. I'm just borrowing them for a while.

o-xxx-o

**Shattered  
**

o-xxx-o

Lying in bed at night and first thing in the morning with her eyes tightly closed, she could almost convince herself that she was in her own home and everything else was just a bad dream but she knew as soon as she got up and looked into the bathroom mirror the illusion would be shattered. The pale-faced stranger with the short, dark brown hair who stared back at her, reminded her that this was indeed reality and had been for the past eight-and-a-half months. The life she'd lived for seven years had gone and after so long away, she wasn't sure she'd ever get it back. A lone tear escaped to run down her cheek but she quickly brushed it away, fearing that if she allowed herself only a moment of self-pity, she'd never be able to stop crying. Cleaning her teeth and brushing her hair, she tugged on a pair of tatty jeans and an oversized sweater and shivered as her body finally registered the cold air. With a wistful look at the warm bed she'd just vacated, she half-walked, half-hopped to the kitchen pulling on thick wool socks as she went to make up the fire until it was light enough outside to start the generator.

Opening the curtains she gazed outside, where the sun was just putting in an appearance and making the newly-fallen snow twinkle like shards of broken glass. It must have been falling for most of the night as it had covered the footprints the children had left the day before and the wind had whipped it into drifts against the trees. To many it would have been an idyllic location… A cabin tucked away in a wooded area, with no close neighbours, free from the hustle and bustle of the big city. The snow… the trees… the wildlife in the warmer months all welcome distractions, but to her it was a prison. She'd always loved the snow as a child, taking long walks in the woods and looking for the first signs of spring but now she almost hated it. The charm and beauty was lost on her and instead she saw a bleak, white landscape which mirrored her life perfectly. If asked, she would have been prepared to admit it had been fun at first, an adventure for both her and her daughters but as the months had dragged on and the weather grew colder, it had gradually lost all its charm.

Christmas had come and gone without fanfare. She'd made one small concession and attended a carol concert in the local village which lay about two miles down the hill and the residents had welcomed them warmly. They'd been invited into the small teashop for hot soup and fresh bread afterwards but that had been the extent of their celebrations, apart from one small present for each of the girls. There had been no tree or decorations, no cards and they'd all been in bed by ten where she'd cried herself to sleep. A Christmas without family or friends had been even harder than she'd expected and, a month later, she still hadn't been able to pull herself out of the depression she'd settled into. Sighing, she walked over to the cupboard to collect the things she needed for breakfast. She was going to have to make her way down to the store later to restock, just in case the weather got any worse.

The owners always seemed pleased to see her when she ventured inside and often gave the girls sweets and other treats but she could see the pity in their eyes and it cut deep. To them she was Mrs Susan Malone, the pretty deaf woman who had given up her life in the big city for the sake of her 'handicapped' children. The younger one, who was also deaf but could say a few words and communicate by sign and the other who could hear perfectly but never spoke or signed and only responded to questions with a nod or shake of her head. A child who appeared so traumatised by something that had happened in her life, she'd withdrawn into a world of silence. Their father..? They'd never asked her about him outright but they did discuss it between themselves, often forgetting that she could read their lips and they'd come to the conclusion that he'd probably buckled under the strain of trying to cope with an 'abnormal' family and deserted them; an assumption she'd done nothing to discourage.

It wasn't in her nature to be evasive and she'd never been a good liar so she found it easier to distance herself from them as much as possible but it hurt her to allow them to go on thinking of Dan, one of the kindest, gentlest men she'd ever known, as an uncaring, unfeeling absentee father, when nothing could be further from the truth.

She immediately gave herself a mental telling-off, she was being unfair to the villagers and she knew it, most of them were both kind and considerate. They'd appointed themselves as her protectors, right from the outset and while trying hard not to be intrusive, they did their best to help her. She'd barely noticed at first that the log bin outside never seemed to empty, no matter how much wood she used for fires, and then packages mysteriously begun to appear outside her door… Spare blankets, second-hand clothes and books for the children… Candles and matches to light them with... She'd learned the hard way that she needed to keep a stock of those as the generator was notoriously temperamental, especially on really cold days. They also acted as a buffer between herself and the outside world… If a stranger so much as passed through, she'd be told about it the next time she visited the shop or if she hadn't been in for a few days, a note would be slipped under her door. They never knocked or disturbed her in anyway but she knew it was the teashop owner's son who ran most of the errands; she'd caught a glimpse of him from the window one day when he'd dropped off some fresh rolls.

The sun was full-up, so she grabbed a heavy cardigan from the peg behind the door and made her way to the shed at the back, said a quick prayer and pushed the button, offering up a word of thanks when the generator shuddered into life. It was time to get another day started and she needed to wake Judy and Carly, get them fed and make her way down the hill.

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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** First an apology. Sorry folks but I have a terrible habit of assuming everyone has seen all the episodes of STFBE and thank you to 71cottes for filling in the blanks.

Dan Malone was in 'Hit and Run' and right at the end he suggested going out for a coffee some time and Sue agreed.

Mark Marshall's name came up in 'Concrete Evidence' as an agent from another Unit.

And Zoja, you're thinking of Scott Mundeen.

Enough waffle! Thank you for all the reviews and enjoy!

o-xxx-o

The sun had been shining in D.C. for the last week and the girls had taken it as a positive sign of an early spring, with shopping sprees, new wardrobes and romantic getaways the main topics of conversation but this morning they'd all woken to lowering clouds, cold temperatures and snow flurries turning the mood in the bullpen to gloom and despondency. Myles opened his mouth to speak but Lucy was way ahead of him.

"Don't you, dare..."

"I believe you owe me an apology." The Bostonian gloated smugly.

The rotor scowled at him. "Okay, you were right and we were wrong."

"Thank you."

"So much for the romantic weekend," Tara sighed. "I'm just glad I didn't pack away all my warm sweaters."

"Did you and Stanley have somewhere picked out?"

"There's a place we like to go up the coast. They have a sauna and a spa and…"

"My idea of hell…" Myles groaned.

"So, what would your perfect weekend be?"

"A visit to an art gallery or an exhibition followed by a leisurely lunch to discuss what we've seen and a brisk walk home to burn off the extra calories."

"Sounds very… educational," Tara commented.

"You mean boring. No wonder there's no sign of a _Mrs _Myles Leland on the horizon."

"Excuse me _Ms_ Dotson but I don't see a ring on your finger either."

"Maybe not, but I'm working on it," she winked at her female colleague. "What's up?"

"My phone..." Pulling it out of her pocket Tara checked the message.

"It's probably Stanley telling her not to even think of going shopping because he's already cut up their credit cards."

"It wasn't a message smart guy, it was a reminder."

"Something good..?" Lucy queried curiously.

"Carly's birthday, it's next week." All the smiles in the room faded. "So, do we get her a present?"

Lucy shrugged, "I guess…"

"Perhaps we should get something little for Judy too, so she doesn't feel left out?"

"Why, not..? You can add them to the pile you bought for Christmas and they can un-wrap them when they come home. I'll be happy to…" He broke off abruptly when he noticed a figure in the doorway and tried to convey with a discreet jerk of the head that they had company.

"If, they _ever_ come home," Lucy sighed and Myles threw his hands up in disgust.

"What?"

"Behind you..."

They both turned in time to see Jack disappearing back down the corridor.

o-xxx-o

Bobby returned fifteen minutes later and walked into an invisible wall of unhappy silence. "Whoa, I think I liked it better when everyone was full of the joys of spring. You're not gonna let a little snow shower dampen your spirits are you?"

"Actually, it was more like an Arctic blast," Myles muttered without looking up from the file he was reading.

"What's going on?" He quickly scanned the room. "Where's Sparky?"

"Ask little Ms Sunshine over there."

"Luce?"

"I didn't know he was there."

"I tried to warn you…"

"And how exactly was anyone supposed to figure that out?" She asked mimicking the movement he'd made. "I thought you had a crick in your neck or something."

"What did you expect me to do, write it in a letter and tie it with a red bow?"

"Would someone please tell me what happened here?" The Aussie demanded in exasperation.

Between the three of them they managed to give him the whole picture.

"I thought we'd agreed never to talk about Sue and the kids when Jack was around?"

"We thought he was still at his meeting, we had no idea… Sorry…" Tara returned to her desk and sat down, immediately grabbing one of her furry creatures and stroking it.

"How long's he been gone?"

"Maybe, twenty minutes. Bobby…"

"Forget it Luce, what's done is done. I'll go see if I can find him."

"D was looking for you."

"Thanks Harvard, I'll see him on my way out.

o-xxx-o

"You know, there's a whole bullpen full of worried people back there," Bobby stated as he sat down on the park bench next to his friend. "Even Harvard's concerned, must have been quite some exit you made."

"They were talking about Carly's birthday."

"Yeah mate, I know." He put a reassuring hand on Jack's arm.

"I let them down Crash, Sue needed my help and I let her down."

"You played it by the book, that's all anyone could have done."

"Then the book's wrong!" He snapped angrily. "And now she's out there, somewhere, just her and the girls. No friends, no family, no husband…"

They'd had this conversation over and over but, just like the first time, he didn't know what to say to make it any easier. "Sparks, there was no choice and if it was anyone else, you would have accepted that a long time ago."

"But it's not anyone else, it's Sue and Judy and Carly… Maybe if…"

"You need to stop torturing yourself. It wasn't any penny-ante street crime they walked in on that day, it was a contract killing and if they'd found her… I don't think you need me to tell you how that would have gone down."

Jack covered his mouth with his hand and screwed up his eyes.

"They're out there somewhere Jack, living and breathing and Mark Marshall and his unit are still working on finding the killer. I'm damn certain they won't give up until they catch him."

"She didn't say 'goodbye'."

"What? When..?"

"The day S.O.G. came and spirited them away. She wouldn't even look at me, just put the kids in the car and climbed into the passenger seat without a glance in my direction. She was so angry. I know she blames me for destroying her life."

"She was completely blindsided, mate. She was scared and worried for the kids and yes, probably angry too. But this is our Sue, she never liked being protected from anything, you of all people should know that. Once she'd calmed down and thought it through, I'm sure she would have understood. She and the girls are alive and safe because of what you did. Hold on to that."

They sat in silence for a while then Bobby looked at his watch and slapped his knees with the palms of his hands before standing up. "Well, I don't know about you Sparks but I have a job to get back to and I'm freezing my assets off sitting here. You, coming..?"

"I'll be there in a minute."

"Make sure you are, okay? I have an appointment with Metro and D needs to see you about the money laundering scam, then tonight we're going out on the town."

"Bobby, I don't think…"

"Beer's on me and I'm not taking 'no' for an answer."

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	3. Chapter 3

Spring had made it to the Allegheny Mountains at last and only the most stubborn of snow remained. There was new growth all around, flowers opening their petals to welcome the sun's warmth, the trees in bud… A time for hope and looking forward but it meant nothing to Sue. For her it was still winter and always would be, at least until her family was all together again and they could live their lives free from fear. She'd heard nothing, knew nothing, maybe she never would. The thought was a depressing one and the chill inside her grew, sending her down a well-worn trail of regrets.

If only she hadn't gone shopping; if only she hadn't chosen that particular store on that particular day; if only Judy hadn't needed to use the bathroom… Judy, she was worried sick about her, the child had witnessed something that day no one of her young age ever should...

They'd gone into the ladies restroom, completely oblivious to what had happened until they saw the woman lying on the floor. Judy had thought she'd fallen but Sue had seen enough dead bodies during her time with the Bureau to know otherwise and checking for a pulse had only proven her correct. She'd ushered her daughter into one of the empty cubicles and taken her cell from her jacket pocket to call for help but as she'd stood up she'd caught the reflection of a man in the mirror. He'd obviously hidden behind the door when they came in, hoping to make his escape, unseen. Knocking the phone from her hand, he'd sent it skittering across the tiled floor and then grabbed her arm but Judy had chosen that moment to come out and screamed when she saw him. Panicking, he'd let her go, bent to retrieve the BlackBerry which held all of her personal details, family photographs, in fact, everything he needed to identify her, and run off with it. He wouldn't even have needed to break the password protection because the phone had already been active.

The incident had been reported to Metro PD and then the calls to their home phone had begun. They came at all hours of the day and night but as soon as they were answered the person on the other end hung up and then Judy had told them she'd seen the man outside her school. A sketch artist had been called, they'd run the image and gotten a match to a known killer-for-hire, and their happy life had been shattered into a thousand pieces.

Judy seemed to have taken the whole thing in her stride but after they'd found out just how serious the situation really was and they'd been forced to hide, something had changed in her. She'd always been a 'daddy's girl' and Sue knew she missed him dreadfully but the silence… She hadn't spoken a word since they'd left D.C. and she was becoming more and more withdrawn, spending hours on her own, either in the room she shared with her little sister or outside amongst the trees. She needed help but there was no one in the village qualified to deal with the problem and Sue couldn't risk venturing further afield.

Her eyes filled with tears, they seemed to do that at the slightest provocation lately. Judy wasn't the only one who missed him, she did too. There were times when he occupied her thoughts day and night, torturing her until she thought she'd go insane with loneliness but with that came both anger and frustration... Anger because he was carrying on with his life, while she felt as though she was stuck in some kind of limbo and, in her darkest moments, she often wondered whether he even remembered they existed or if he'd simply given up waiting and moved on. …And frustration, because she was having those unkind thoughts in the first place. He loved his family more than life, that was why he'd allowed them to be taken to a place of safety but she wished with all her heart that he could be there too.

o-xxx-o

The call had come out of the blue, taking Jack completely by surprise. He'd just arrived at work and was in the process of parking up when his cell rang. Not believing what he was hearing, he'd had to ask for several repeats and even then he'd only picked up the parts he'd wanted to hear. Hanging up, he'd headed back the way he'd come without a word to anyone.

Mark Marshall had confirmed he'd already dispatched two S.O.G. operatives to deliver the news but he'd practically begged him to call and let them know he was on his way to join them and that he had to be the one to do it. He'd been stunned when he'd discovered they'd been less than four hours' drive away for almost a year.

The inhabitants of the village peered from their windows and stopped in the street to stare when the black SUV with its tinted windows swept into their small community. Some were wary, others just curious but when word went round that at least one of the occupants appeared to be armed, they cautiously withdrew inside, wondering what was going on and each of them suspecting it had something to do with the strange, deaf woman living in the cabin up the hill. The shops and café were rife with speculation. Had they unwittingly been aiding a fugitive? Had she perhaps kidnapped her children and been hiding from their father? Was she fleeing an abusive spouse who had finally tracked her down? After all, no one really knew who the cabin belonged to, although several people had stayed there in the past. They'd even discussed among themselves trying to warn her but couldn't think of a way to do it without being seen.

The suited strangers hadn't moved from the vicinity of their vehicle since they'd got there and they guessed they were waiting for someone or something. Their suspicions were confirmed when, an hour-or-so later, a silver car drove up and parked behind them. A lone figure got out and showed them some kind of ID, he chatted through the open window for a few minutes and then they started their engine and disappeared back the way they'd come. As they watched, the new arrival looked around him, not in the way a tourist would but more someone checking out the lay of the land. Jack could feel curious eyes on him and allowed himself a small smile as an untold number of blinds and drapes were hastily put back in place.

Following the directions he'd been given, he started out walking at a brisk pace but the closer he got to his destination the slower it became. He had no clue what kind of reception he was going to get and it was making him uncharacteristically hesitant. The expression on Sue's face all those months ago, when he'd told her she'd have to leave, still tormented him, that and her anger. Bobby had tried to reassure him that once she'd had time to come to terms with the upheaval, she'd understand and he prayed his friend had been right.

The path meandered slightly and if he'd been in the mood to appreciate it, the beauty around him was stunning but there was only one thing on his mind now. He saw her before she saw him and at first, he'd thought he'd taken the wrong path, the short brown hair confusing him, but then he heard her call Judy's name and he knew he was in the right place. His feet refused to take another step and he could barely breathe as he willed her to notice him, give him a sign that he was welcome. She called again looking around her and doing a double-take when she saw him, almost as though she didn't quite believe her eyes. Mouthing his name, she took a few steps forward and then stopped, feeling as uncertain as he was, and then Judy came out of the trees, dragging her feet as she carried the wild flowers she'd been picking. She stared, first at her mother and then the stranger who had appeared out of nowhere. Not knowing whether she should be frightened or not, she slid her hand into her mother's, hiding behind her and peeking out nervously. Jack tried to speak but barely managed a croaking sound. He cleared his throat and tried again.

"Hey Judy-Cutie, remember me?"

At first he thought she didn't and the pain it caused him was almost too much to take but then it was as though a veil had been lifted and she was seeing him clearly for the first time. Her face lit up, she dropped the flowers and ran towards him.

"Daddy… My daddy..!"

Gathering her up, Jack held her tightly against him, tears filling his eyes as she flung her arms around his neck. "I'm here baby, I'm here. I've missed you _so_ much."

While he'd been talking, Sue had drawn closer and he freed a hand so he could sign behind Judy's back. "**It's over**."

"**Really..?**"

"**Yes**."

"**Thank God**."

"Where's Carly, is she okay?"

"She's fine. She was tired so I put her to bed for a nap."

Jack nodded, his gaze locking with his wife's as he sought the answers to the questions in his head. "Sue…"

Like his, her eyes had filled with tears and he was forced to put Judy down, fearing he might actually drop her, he was shaking so badly.

"Daddy…"

"Go pick up your flowers and put them in water before they die."

"Come with me."

"I'll be there in a minute, okay?"

"Promise..."

"I promise."

"You're not going away again?"

"No, I'm not going away"

She looked at him doubtfully but did as she was asked.

All through the conversation his eyes had stayed firmly locked on Sue's

"It's really over?"

Nodding he held out his arms to her, emitting a guttural groan half-anguish, half-relief when she moved into them, her hands slipping inside his coat craving closer contact. He'd needed to hold her, touch her, for so long that he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to let go. It took Judy to break the spell.

"Daddy, you said you were coming… Daddy..!"

Reluctantly, he stepped back. "Please don't shout honey."

"Jack…" Sue shook her head in warning and he looked at her questioningly.

"When she saw you just now…That was the first time she's spoken since we left D.C."

"What?" He stared at her in horror.

"She hasn't said a word. I was so scared. I didn't know what to do."

"Oh my God, she really hasn't..?"

"Nothing..."

Jack swallowed several times, running his hands over his face. "Sue, I'm so sorry. I should have found another way. I shouldn't have let them…"

"No," she interrupted him, placing a cool finger against his lips. "You had no choice, I understood that but I was upset and I said some terrible things. I wanted to come back and tell you but they wouldn't let me."

"It's okay, sweetheart, it's over now."

"But…"

"No buts, okay? I need to talk to Judy, and see Carly."

"Jack, she's very young and it's been so long. I'm not sure if she'll…"

"Remember me? I know…" His hand found its resting place on the small of her back while her arm slid around his waist and they walked side-by-side towards the cabin.

o-xxx-o

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